Former Indian captain and former chairman of tournament selectors Kris Srikkanth said he was “very shocked” by India’s decision to drop vice-captain Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup and admitted he did not expect such a bold call by the selection committee. However, while expressing his surprise, Srikkanth also praised the Ajit Agarkar-led panel for selecting what he described as a “fantastic” 15-man squad, adding that Gill will have to wait for his chance in T20 cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand as well as the T20 World Cup, which begins on February 7 and will be held in India and Sri Lanka. While many expected a routine team with familiar names, the selection committee dropped a bombshell by omitting Deputy Captain Gill and Ishan Kishan’s appeal from the cold.
Gill, who was named Test and ODI captain earlier this year, was brought back into T20s during the Asia Cup. He returned to the side after a year and was immediately promoted to the role of vice-captain, underscoring the faith placed in him by the team management.
However, Gill struggled to live up to expectations in the T20Is, managing 291 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of under 140. His inclusion also came at a cost, with India forced to break up the successful opening combination of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma to accommodate the star batsman at the top.
Despite India failing to consistently replicate the high-risk, fast-paced approach that has made them one of the most feared T20I sides in the world, the team management has continued to back Gill. However, in the end, the selectors made a significant U-turn, withdrawing their support and dropping him on the eve of a major tournament – a rare occurrence in Indian cricket.
“I was very shocked. This is a great selection. I didn’t expect them to drop Shubman Gill. They made him vice-captain. Even during the Australia tour he was vice-captain. Yes, Rinku Singh was in the team and Ishan Kishan was not even on the radar. But a fantastic selection, I would say. Well done, India selection team Ajit Agarkar!” Srikkanth said on his YouTube show.
“In one-day cricket, he (Gill) is brilliant. He scored trucks in England in Tests. But he struggled in T20Is. His strike rate is nothing compared to Ishan Kishan or anyone else. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson take over there. Abhishek is a certainty, world number one combined with Sanjuhan Iswick,” he added. added Srikkanth.
‘I’M VERY HAPPY ISHAN’
The former chairman of selectors, who was part of the panel that selected India’s 2011 World Cup winning team, also praised the current selection committee for recognizing domestic cricketing performances and handing over the lifeline to Ishan Kishan.
Ishan, who last played for India in 2023, earned a surprise recall just days after his 46-ball smash in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Haryana in Pune. In the domestic T20 tournament, the wicketkeeper-batter topped the batting charts, amassing 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44 and a staggering strike rate of 197.32.
“Ishan Kishan’s selection is a fantastic selection. He has scored runs in domestic cricket and that means the selectors are considering performances in domestic cricket. The sheer value of the scores and performances has brought him back into the side. He didn’t just score for himself, he made sure his team won. Well done Ishan, I am very happy for you,” Srikkanth said.
“Don’t forget, he disappeared after scoring a double century (in ODIs). He was in the World Cup team.”
India have not named any substitutes for the T20 World Cup, with BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stressing that travel reserves are unnecessary for a tournament that is largely played at home.
India T20 World Cup Squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Goalkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
December 22, 2025
